Multiple flow regulator



Aug. 25, 1931. A. D. M LEAN MULTIPLE FLOW REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1927 Affmrg Aug. 25, 19 A. D. M LEAN MULTIPLE FLOW REGULATOR Filed Feb. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-She et 2 i w/ m %///4////// (1mm QM Patented Aug. 1931 LLEN MI ILHPLE mow me ma "Applicationfiled February 25,1927. Serial No; J mil =This invention relates to a regulator for L the'fiow offluids from a plurality of sources to'a single outlet; It isfre'quently desirable totsupplyta 'fluidfrom one source untilthe:

3;, jpressurefrom that source drops to a mini-, mum when it'"becomesnecessary to close, a valve 'governingsaidsource and open a valve in a conduit fromlanother source to continue t and maintain a fiowlinthe outlet.- This sys- 'tem is applicable to'the flow of gases of the same or' differing. kinds. Heretofore either hand operated or separately operating auto-- matic valves have been providedto' control fluid flow asabove outlined. Hand 0r sepa-- -;1; rate automatic operationof the controlling valves is troublesome "and unsatisfactoryin operation especially; when the closing of the .tvalve controlling the flow from one source" should take place simultaneously with the opening of the valve controlling theflow from tl1e othersource o v i his the primary object of tlllS' invention to provide avalve controlling two, sources of I supply thatis automaticallyactuatedwhen 26 the pressure from the controlsource drops below. a minimum," and that automatically re- -si1mes its former-position when the control fpressure a' aln reaches af predetermlned value.

:nately su'pplyfluid of the, same or: difierent @Qkinds to the .outlet'oflthe valve; 7 r ."yAnother object of the invention is to provide a valve that maintainsthe flow from one? of a plurality of sourceswhenever the pres- "sure from that source reaches or exceeds a predeterminedvalue and thatautomatically --1--connects another source to the'valve'o'utlet I ;-,;;40= whenever the'flow fromthe controlling-source H iAnotherJobjectpf the invention .istopro -vide a valve .thatoperates with a snap, action to quickly-- bring'about" the desired nianipula-- tion of the valve-when the controlling pressure T necessitates. a shifting" ofthe valve ii u Anotherobject of the invention is to pro ,vide an-automaticquick-acting valve con-- trollinga-plurality of fluidsources 'andin-- te -eluding means to holdrthe vaIve-fromacQi- :A further object of the invention is to pro-* vide-a unitary valve to automatically alter 7 1n anyfsuit'able mannerJ-Air is -admitted V I through structure 14in the embodimenti'llustratedfbut, as will be readily'understood, a

conduit may 'besubstituted for said structure 'inorder that flu-id such as enters: the "inlet 11 MACLEAN, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANlA, .Assrei on rr'r'rsnunen 3 EQUITABLE MEIER COMPANY, orv rrrrsnunen, rnNnsY vaNmdental displacement from ieilther of its eiitreme positions. a

-AI10tllei"Ob]eCf ofth-e inventionlies in the a 7 provision of apositive holding means to maintain the valve in position" andfmean's-- -movable-with respect to 'saidqpo sitive" holding means to insure thecorrect relative positions of the holding means when the valve is opened or closed.

' "Further obJects Wlll appear as the descrip tion of the invention proceeds Withreference to the accompanyingdrawings in which,a-.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the regulater, the valve parts being shown in full lines in the-position they assume whenthe pressure from the control source has reached a predetermined minimum, and. in dotted lines when-the pressurehas been built up to v the point'where the valve is aboutto open. 7

Figure 2' is a -vertical sectionishowing'thd parts in their alternative operative position. I

Similar reference characters indicate like I parts throughout the several-figures:

A valve casing 10 having an inlet llandl an outlet 12' is arranged in a conduit so that "fluid from one'sourcemayenter at inlet 11;

CasinglO is provided with-a secondinlet'13 surroundedbya cage likest'ructur'e' l lc-con- I l sisting of short pieces of flanged channelsections 15'and '16 arranged in crossed relation as shown at 17 and attached to the casing 10 may be caused to enter inlet-13.": In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet from casing 10 regulator is adapted for use in many other situations, and that it can be used to alternately control the flow from several sources of fluid, either of like or unlike character.

A suitable wall 18 provided with a valve seat 19 of suitable material separates inlet 11 from outlet 12. Inlet 13 is provided with a suitable valve seat 20 surrounding the opening in casing 10 that constitutes said inlet. Valves 21 and 22 control the flow of fluid from inlets 11 and 13 to outlet 12, said valves being so disposed on valve stem 23 that when one of the valves is open the other is closed.

Valve stem 23 is provided with an enlargement 24 providing a shoulder located in a recess 25 in the body 26 of valve 21. Body 26 is provided with an externally threaded tubular extension 27 surrounding valve stem 23. Valve guide member 28 having the usual guiding ribs 29 is threaded on extension 27 clamping a packing disk 30 of suitable material between the body and the guide member. Nuts 31 threaded on stem 23 serve to lock the parts in adjusted position.

The lower end of stem 23 is reduced in diameter as shown at 32. Threaded upon the stem 23 is an abutment in the form of a nut 33 locked in position by lock nut 34.

Valve 22 comprising a body 35, guide mem ber 36, and packing disk 37 secured toe-ether as above described with respect to the valve 21 is inserted on stem 32 and against abutment 33. A coil spring 38 adiustably held in engagement with valve 22 by a nut 39 serves to yieldingly hold said valve in engagement with said abutment. A bushing 40 is arranged between valves 22 and stem 32.

Valve stem 23 above the enlargement 24 is provided with a removable cap 41. Slidab-ly mounted on stem 23 is a spring release cam memher 42 provided with an externally threaded extension fitting in a diaphragm stem 43. Said stem is provided with a long extension 45.

said extension. by threaded sleeves 47 and 48 clamping between them the diaphragm and the diaphragmsupporting plates 49 and 50 of any well known form.

The valve casing 10 is provided with an annular shoulder 51 to which is bolted a plate 52 by bolts 53. Plate 52 is perforated centrally and surrounds diaphragm stem 43. a

' suitable packing gland 54 being provided around said opening. Secured to said plate 52 are spring arms 55 each arm carrving a latch member 56 including a latchim shoulder 57 and a cam 58 arranged adjacent thereto.

an annular flange or shoulder 59 arranged in position to be engaged by said latch members to hold the valve in raised position.

The valve bodv 26 is provided with Valve casing 10 is flanged at its upper end as shown by the numeral 60. A valve head 61 provided with securing flanges 62 is secured to flange 60 by bolts 63 clamping the edge of the diaphragm 46 therebetween.

Threaded in sleeve 48 movable with diaphragm 46 is a rod 64 passing loosely through head 61 and through a bushed opening in top casting 65 bolted to head 61 by bolts 66. Rod 64 has a head 67 provided with bifurcated cars 68 perforated to receive a pin 69 passing through an opening in weight lever bracket 70.

Secured to top casting 65 is a lever 71 pivoted at 72 to said casting and connected by means of a pin 7 3 to bracket 70. Bolted to bracket is anangular weightsupporting lever 74. A weight 75, having flanges 76 arranged on opposite sides of said lever, rolls on said. lever. The ends 77 of said lever are turned upwardly to constitute stops for the movable weight. The lever is provided further with a series'of spaced openings 78, designed to receive the shanks of securing bolts 79 that are provided to attach an adcured to head 61 and projecting. in the path of movement of trigger 83 serves to hold it in an inoperative positlon when the valve stem is in its lowermost position. As the end 85 of said trigger is the heavier end the trigger will tend to approach a vertical position through an opening 87 in plate 52. As the pressure becomes suflicient to raise the weighted lever 74 the diaphragm 46 will rise carrying with it cam member 42 and dia-- phragm stem 43. This movement of the cam member permits the latch members 56 to spring toward each other in position to engage flange or shoulder 59 on valve 21. Movement of the diaphragm of insufficient extent to cause the weight to roll to the other end of lever 74 will have no effect on the valves 21 or 22. However, when the pressure in inlet 11 has reached a predetermined value the weight is caused to move toward the other end of the? lever 74, the movement of the weight'being restrained'by theupwardly pro- 1Accordirlgly;whatis desired to be secured inmate ecti ng fmger .80 untiIthepressure has risen in the inlet and the race-way 74 has assumed aslight angle. When this angle issufli'cient to cause weight 7 6 to ride over fingeriSO, the

momentum of the'moving weight is sufiioient t'o'i carry-it definitely past the pivot of the race-way and the" position of valvesf21 and 22' isreversed, Suc'h movement causes a quick opening of valve 2 1 and an. equally rapid closing" 'ofivalve 22.] The latches 56 hold the valve in raised position and'the gas;

"eluding va lostwmotion connection: to said begins to flow to outlet 12 from inlet 11, theair flowbei'ng discontinuedat'the same time.-

:-:It will be noted that the roller 86 of trigger, 83 will not prevent the weight 7 6 moving to; the left hand end of the race-way. However, Y

Q) when-the race-way assumes the positionshown in Figure 2, the trigger 83 prevents the weight from rollin 'to the right hand end of the face-way until the pressure from inlet 11 falls below a predetermined minimum; A slight drop in pressure will cause the weight to roll to the right until it rests against roller 86 of trigger 83, andin this 'manner'reverse movement-of the valves is prevented due to slightfiuctuations ofpressure in the inlet.

When the predetermined minimum pressure is reached the stop 84 will have movedtrigger-83such that roller 86 is depressed below the race-way and-the weight will roll sharply t theright, the momentum thereof carrying it overthe finger 80 to the position of Fig '9 3 fure 1. I

As the pressure ofthe gas in inlet 11 drops the'weight ,'causes' thediaphra-gm46 and the parts carried thereby to be lowered thus 6 bringing cam member 42 into position to engage "cams 58 011 latch members 56. T As *the' pressure continues to drop and reaches a pre'deter'mined minimum value, the c am member' re releases the latches 56, the trigger i -83jdrops t'o"thefposition shown in Figure 1 the weig'ht' rolls as the "other end 01 the lever and the valves 21 and 22 are shifted to'a posi fother means controlled by the'pressurein tion inwliich theflow from inlet ll-is cut off T until the'fpres'sureiin this inletbuilds up to: the required amount when the valves 21' and 22'-are' again automaticallyjshifted torestorel v 3 counter-weight-acting-in opposition to} said that a regulator is pro= 'means toquickly shiftthe valves in both of vided that'will'autqrnatically maintain the newer a'fiuidfrom a control source aslong" as thepressure" from that source remains above a predetermined limit, that said regue the flower as.

" ""Itwillthu's be seen ond sour latorjwill automatically stop said 'flow when i the" pressure drops below said limit and start the flow fr-em -a siidnd source simultaneously therewith; Said "regulator? will likewise I 7, ce wheir'thepressure in the control source has'been restored.

details,though'the-invention is not-restricted Theinventidn' has been above described in LettersPatent and isclaim-ed as newis]:

-An automatic flow regulator having a plurality of inlets and a single outlet, a plurality ofvalves movableas a unit. controlling the flow; from eitherof said inlets to said outlet, and means controlled by variations in pressure beyond .a predetermined limit inone of said inlets to shift said'v'alves with a snap movement and put theother inlet 111300111- municationwith said outlet, said, means in- I movable'as .a" unit' to alternately si'multaneously connect said outlet vwith-one of saidfinlets, means to move said :valveswith a snap motionto two alternatepositions including a diaphragm responsive to pressures in said a last named inlet to control the movement of saidvalves in one direction and variable a mechanical means] controlled by said dia- "phragm tojregulate the movement of said valves in the otherdirectionw I 3. An automatic flow regulatorcomprising I a pluralityaof inlets and a single outlet. a

plurality of valves secured together for movement as aunit to alternately put one of said, inlets in communication with, said outlet, means controlled by the pressure in one of said inlets and movable a substantial distance independently of said valves, and a r mechanismxto actuate saidvalve, saidmechanism beingbrought intolposition for quick- 1v manipulatingsaid valves and releasedvby the movement'ofsaidmeans.

4. An automatic flow regulator comprlslng spaced walls having. openings'separating said a pluralitypf inlets and a sing-1e outlet,

being 'yieldable' bodily} with respectv to thev said valves in one direction and to control their movementin the other direction, and a itsdirections of movement. a

, 5QAn automatic fiowregulator compris l ing aplurality'ofinlets anda single outlet,

spaced walls having openings separating said inlets from said outlet, valves connectedto move as a unit controlling the flow through j said openings, anelement movable toward andi'away from'said openings and controlled by the pressure-in one of said inlets, a lost motion connection "between said element and valves, and means lncludmg a shifting weight controlled 'by the movementofsaid element to actuate said valves with a snap:

action in both directions when the pressure in said inlet reaches a predetermined limit.

6. An automatic regulator comprising a valve casing, avalve seat in said casing, an outlet, an inlet, a valvecontrollingthe flow from said inlet to said outlet, a valve stem, a diaphragm, means secured to said diaphragm and attached to said valve stem by a lost motion connection, cam means carried by said first named means, mechanism to hold said valve in its elevated position, said mechanism being controlled by said cam means, means to cause the pressure in said inlet to move said diaphragm and adjustable elements counteracting the pressure on the diaphragm, said last named means comprising a shifting weight movable to opposite sides of the valve stem and causing a snap action of said valve when said mechanism is re leased by said cam means.

7. An automatic regulator including a valve, a diaphragm connected to said valve by a lost motion connection and controlled by the pressure imposed on one side thereof, cam means movable with said diaphragm, latching means for holding the valvein its elevated position, said latching means being arranged to be actuated by said cam means, a counterweight opposing action of said diaphragm, said counterweight being arranged to move quickly to either of two extreme positions whenthe pressure on one side of the diaphragm reaches predetermined upper and lower limits but being unaffected by variations between said limits.

8. An automatic flow regulator comprising a casing including a plurality of inlets and a single outlet, a plurality of valves movable as a unit to alternately connect one of said inlets with said outlet, and valve operating means for actuating said valves by a snap action including a diaphragm controlled by the pressure in'one of said inlets and con nected to said valves by a connection that permits substantial movement of the diaphragm without affecting the valves up to predetermined limits of pressure, and an ad-' justable weight to positively actuate said valves in both directions when said pressure reaches said limits, said weight having means associated therewith for retaining it against movement in either direction by small variations in pressure. v

9. An automatic flow regulator including a casing, a valve controlled by the pressure of fluid passing through said casing, a shoulder on said valve, latches secured to said casing and yieldingly pressed toward the path of movement of said shoulder to positively engage therewith and retain said valve in one position, a diaphragm secured to said valve by means that permits it to move substantially with respect thereto, means carried by said diaphragm to spread said latches away from said path and release said valve carried by said diaphragm, and a rolling weight to quickly actuate the valve when saidlast named means positively disengages said latches from said. shoulder.

10. An automatic flow regulator including a casing, a valve in said casing, a diaphragm responsive to pressure in said casing and secured to said valve by a connection that permits substantial fluctuation of pressure without aiiecting said valve, a Weighted leverhaving angularly disposed portions secured to said caslng and connected between its ends to said diaphragm, a weight arranged to roll from one side of the point of attachment between said lever and casing to the other side secured to said valve in a manner permitting substantial movement thereof without aiiecting said valve, a weighted lever pivotally secured to said casing and connected to said diaphragm, a weight arranged on said lever to roll from one side to the other side of its pivotal point to actuate said valve, atrigger pivoted to said lever, a stop on said casing causing the trigger to move'out'of the path of said weight when the diaphragm shifts said lever into position for actuation of said valve. I

12. An automatic regulator comprising a casing, a valve controlling the tlowof fluid through said casing, a valve stem, a diaphragm, adiaphragm stem surrounding said valve stem, a cam member secured to said diaphragm stem, a head on said valve stem, said valve stem being slidable relative to the diaphragm stem, a shoulder on said valve, latches yieldingly pressedlinthe. path of movement of said shoulder to positively entherewith and hold said valve in one position and in position to be positively re leased from said shoulder by said cam member when the pressure in said casing exceeds a predetermined amount, and means to cause said valve to closequickly when said latches are released by said cam member.

13. An automatic flow regulator arranged between a compressor and a plurality of independent sources of fluid comprising a plurality of valves movable as a unit to alternately put said sources in communication with said compressor, a valve stem, a rolling weight arranged to quickly shift said valves to either of its positions, and a diaphragm. controlled by the pressure in one of said sources to control the movements of said weight in both directions, said weight acting to quickly snap said valves from either pos1- tion thereof when the diaphragm moves beyond apredetermined limit.

14:. An automatic flow regulator comprising a valve casing, a valve seat insaid casing, an outlet, an inlet, a valve controlling the flow from said inlet to said outlet, a dia-" phragm connected to said valve in a manner permitting substantial relative movement be-.

tween said diaphragm and valve, latch means to hold said valve open, means carried by said diaphragm to retract said latch'means to release said valve after the diaphragm has moved beyond a predetermined limit, and

means to supplement the action of the diaphragm when it moves in both directions. 15. An automatic flow regulator comprising a valve casing, a valve seat in said casing, an outlet, an inlet, a valve controlling the e flow from said'inlet'to said outlet, a diaphragm connected to said valve in a manner v permitting substantlal relative movement between said diaphragm and valve, latch means to hold said valve open, means carried by said diaphragm to retract said latch means to release said valve afterthe diaphragm has moved beyond a predetermined limit, a lever secured to said diaphragm and tilted about a" pivot as said diaphragm moves, and a shift ing weight mounted on said lever, said weight being so disposed that it will shift from one side of the pivot of said lever to the other side thereof When the movement of the diavphragm reaches a predetermined limit in either direction of its movement.

16. An automatic flow regulator comprise mg a valve casing, a valve seat 1n sald casing,

an outlet, an inlet, a valve controlling the flow from said inlet to said outlet, a dia-- phragm connected to said valve and controlling its movements, a leverpivoted between its ends and connected to said diaphragm adjacent its pivot, a weight mounted on said lever and arranged to roll from one side to the other of said pivot when the movement of said lever under the influence of said diaphragm exceeds trigger pivoted to'said lever and arranged to be automatically projected in the path of movement of said weight when the movement of the lever has reached a predetermined amount and to be automatically retracted out of the path of said lever when the movement of said lever in thejopposite direction has reached the other limit of its movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALLEN D. MAGLEAN.

a predetermined amount, a- 

